What Child is This
by TheSongSmith
Summary: The Cullens find a young, injured boy on the porch, but his past may be darker than any of them know. Can they protect him from it, or will he fall back into the wrong hands? All human.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! So I know I should be updating my other stories, and I promise those updates are on their way! But I've been messing around with this for a bit and thought I'd find out what you thought of it. It's a human version of the Cullen family with the kids as young children. Please let me know what you think!**

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**EsmePOV**

I hum softly to myself as I set the dining room table, glancing out the window at the children playing in the steadily falling snow. Living so close to the mountain, the snow isn't expected to stop for weeks, and the roads this far from town won't be cleared until it does. While most people might be unhappy, it always struck me as cozy, having all the people I love together. I feel strong arms wrapping around me. "Penny for your thoughts?" Carlisle murmurs.

I smile, leaning back against his chest. "I love this time of year," I reply, leaning up to kiss his cheek. The timer on the oven buzzes, and I reluctantly break free of his hold. "Would you mind rounding up the children, dear?"

He nods, opening the back door and calling to them as I put dinner on the table. The first one inside is twelve-year-old Rosalie, her face red from the cold and from her temper. "Emmett got snow in my hair!" she cries.

"I didn't mean to!" Emmett insists, shaking the snow off his boots. "It was an accident! I was aiming for Edward, and she got in the way!"

Edward, the oldest at fourteen, follows him in. "Don't drag me into this! If you hadn't tried to hit me in the first place, you wouldn't be in trouble!"

I take a deep breath, keeping my voice calm. "Now now, everyone calm down. Emmett, please apologize to Rosalie." He mumbles out an apology before taking a seat next to Edward, who's trying to hide a book underneath the table. "There. Rosalie, your hair will be perfectly fine. Edward, no reading at the dinner table please. Where is your sister?"

"I'm here!" a small voice calls out as little Alice bounds through the door, rogue snowflakes falling from her coat. She runs up and hugs me tightly. "Hi Mommy."

I smile, hugging her back. "Hi baby. Did you have a good time playing?" She nods, climbing into her chair and joining the others.

I happily listen to them chatter as they eat until a small noise catches my attention. I look up, trying to listen for it again. Carlisle squeezes my hand. "Esme, sweetheart? Are you alright?"

I nod, smiling at him. "Yes, I'm fine. I just thought I heard something, that's all. Probably the wind." We continue eating, and suddenly I hear it again. It's faint, but there's no mistaking it for the wind this time. I frown, getting up from the table. "I'll be right back. I just want to check something…" slowly, I move towards the front door, listening carefully but not hearing any more noises. I open the door a little, looking around. There's nothing but the snow. I'm about to close the door when something red catches my eye.

On the floor of the porch lies the frame of a small boy, no more than eight or nine, facedown in the snow. A small shriek of surprise escapes me, and the boy's eyes open weakly for a moment. He whimpers out something before his eyes flutter closed and his body falls limply against the porch. Carlisle appears behind me, a worried expression in his eyes. "Esme, darling? What's wrong?"

Speechless, I point to the boy, and his eyes widen. The doctor in him takes over, and he kneels beside the small frame, his fingers gently searching at his neck. "I-Is he…?" I manage, finding my voice again.

"He's alive," he confirms, "but only just barely. He must be freezing. Let's get him inside." He carefully picks the unconscious boy up, cradling him gently as I notice that the snow around him is stained pink.

I tell Edward that he's in charge before following Carlisle into his office, where he gently lays the boy down. "I think he's injured," I tell him. "There was blood in the snow." He nods, carefully peeling back the thin fabric of his clothes, which have become plastered to his body with ice and blood. The more he works, the more injuries he uncovers. "Carlisle, should we call the hospital?"

He shakes his head. "It wouldn't be any use, the roads are too bad for an ambulance to get through, and by the time they dug it out it'd be too late," he points out. "We'll just have to do what we can for now." I nod, watching him work over the boy. "How did he even get all the way out here?" he muses as he carefully cleans and tends to the boy's wounds. "All the roads have been closed for days. There was no one else around?"

I shake my head. "No one. I almost didn't see him. He looked up at me, and he whispered something and just passed out. What could have happened to him?"

He sighs, looking at the boy with sorrow before resuming his work. "I don't know. What did he say?"

"Well, it was hard to hear, but I think he said 'help me'. Should we call the police? This must be someone's child."

He hesitates, looking up at me. "Not yet," he says. "I think we should wait until he wakes up. These aren't normal injuries. Someone did this to him, and I want to know who before we hand him back. Besides, they won't be able to get here for weeks anyway."

"You think he's being abused?" I ask, lightly running my finger along the edge of a bruise marking the boy's pale cheek.

Carlisle sighs softly. "I think it's a very large possibility. If we call the police now and someone has reported him missing, we could be handing him over to whoever hurt him. Maybe when he wakes up he'll be able to tell us."

I nod. "But he will wake up, right? He'll be okay?"

He takes my hand, lightly brushing the boy's hair back. "He's dehydrated, malnourished, hypothermic and extremely weak, but we'll warm him up, get some fluids into him, and let him rest. With any luck, I think he'll make it."

I help him clean the boy up and redress him in some of Edward's old things before settling him under the comforter in one of the spare bedrooms. As he warms up and the color slowly returns to him, the dark bruises littering his body stand out in sharp relief, and I want, more than anything, to make sure they're never put there again. Carlisle attaches him to an IV to rehydrate him and warm him from the inside out. I leave him making his notes to get the children ready for bed. "Mommy," Alice asks, "who is that boy?"

"I don't know yet, dear," I reply, pulling her pajama top over her head.

"Is he sick? Is that why Daddy took him upstairs?"

I smile, tucking her into bed. "Yes, but Daddy is going to make him better. I think he's going to be here for a while. Now, it's past someone's bed time. Goodnight sweetheart. I love you."

I kiss her cheek softly, and she nods thoughtfully. "That's good," she murmurs sleepily, "we have to keep him safe."

I want to ask her what she means, but she's already fallen asleep. Instead, I tiptoe back to the boy's room, finding Carlisle watching him. "Any change?" I murmur.

He shakes his head, pulling me into his lap. "Nothing yet. I just wish there was more I could do."

"You saved the boy's life, dear," I remind him.

He nods uneasily. "Yes, but what I really want to know is why his life was in danger in the first place. There was no car. He had to have gotten here on his own. And no one, much less a child, makes it all the way out here on foot in the middle of a snow storm unless they're running from something awful. Whatever happened to him, it was bad."

I hug him gently. "I know, sweetheart. We'll see if he remembers anything when he wakes up. But whatever he's running from, he has help now." He nods, yawning, and I giggle. "Why don't you go off to bed?"

"Are you not coming?" he asks.

I look back at the boy. "I think I might stay here for a while," I decide. "I don't want him to wake up alone." I take a seat next to the boy, careful not to disturb him, and gently take his hand, pleased that the temperature is improving. I watch him for a few moments before I find myself talking to him. "I'm so sorry for whatever you've been through," I murmur. "I know you must be scared, but I promise you're not alone anymore. Whatever it is you're running from, we'll protect you. You're safe now." 

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**Well there you have it, chapter one! Please remember to review and let me know what you think about it!**

**Love,**

**TheSongSmith**


	2. Chapter 2

**You asked for it, so here it is! A fairly long chapter 2 for you!**

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**EPOV**

The snow falls steadily through the night, and the boy remains still and asleep. In the morning, Carlisle slips back in, his arms wrapping around me. "Morning," he murmurs. "No change?"

I lean up to kiss him softly. "Nothing yet. Do you think he's alright?"

He leans over the boy, gently checking him. "His pulse is much stronger, and his temperature is up. He's probably just exhausted. I think he'll be okay."

I nod, watching the rise and fall of the boy's chest. "Poor thing. He's been through a lot."

Carlisle watches me for a moment before chuckling. "You're getting attached to him already."

"It's hard not to," I admit. "How could anyone look at something so sweet and innocent and not want to protect him? You know I can't help it."

He chuckles softly. "I know, love. You're a natural mother. But he isn't ours."

I nod reluctantly. "I know that. But there's no harm in caring for him while he's here." I think for a moment, then look at him. "If we're right about his parents, would you consider taking him in?"

He smiles. "We know barely anything about the boy, dear. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. I did do a little digging, though, and I think we might be onto something." He hands me a stack of papers, and I look through them carefully. "His name is Jasper Whitlock, eight years old. His family moved here last year, and he's been in the emergency room quite a bit since then, with some pretty serious injuries. I found some records from his old school, but according to them he was transferred somewhere else when he was five. The strange part is, I couldn't find anything on the place he was supposedly transferred to, nor is he enrolled in any school in the area. He's listed as 'homeschooled', but I don't know if anyone ever checked up on him."

I nod, reading through his medical reports. "You think they've kept him in to make sure no one found out?"

He shrugs. "It's certainly possible. His medical history is a bit suspicious. Lots of accidents. Falling down stairs, things like that. But I don't think anyone's ever filed a report. Unfortunately, children like him tend to fall between the cracks more often than we'd like. We expect parents to care for their children. We don't like to believe they might not. A lot of things go unquestioned. Even if it's not his parents doing this, something suspicious is definitely happening."

I sigh, watching the small boy in the bed. "We have to help him, Carlisle. We can't send him back there."

He nods. "I know. Thankfully, all the snow should buy us some time to figure this out. But it may be a bit more difficult. If we're right about what happened to him, he may have some major issues. Do you remember how Rose was when she first came to us?"

"Well we helped her through it, we can help him too. It just takes a little patience."

He smiles, kissing my cheek. "Somehow, I knew that wouldn't phase you. He hasn't been reported missing yet, but I'm going to take some photos of his injuries, just in case."

He doesn't finish the sentence, but I know what he means. Just because they haven't involved the police doesn't mean they aren't looking for him. He may be cautious now, but I know that if it came down to it, Carlisle would do everything in his power to keep this child safe. I help him with the boy, gently moving him in order to get pictures. He doesn't even stir. As soon as Carlisle puts his camera down, there's a crash downstairs. "Sounds like the boys are awake," I laugh.

He nods. "I'll go take care of them if you don't mind putting him together again."

I nod, gently laying the boy down again. I examine his injuries for myself before covering them up again. As I'm tugging his shirt down, I notice that his breathing has picked up. I glance back up to his face to find two bright blue, wide and terrified eyes staring back at me. "Oh…I'm sorry, I didn't realize you'd woken up…" I pause, but the boy says nothing, still and silent as ever. "I was just checking your injuries." Still, nothing but a frightened stare. I sigh, slowly taking a seat beside him, careful not to touch him. "It's okay sweetheart," I murmur. "I know you're scared, but you're safe now. I don't know if you remember, but I found you on the porch." There's a flash of recognition in his eyes, the only sign that he's understanding me. "My name is Esme," I continue. "How about you?"

The boy hesitates, as if he has to pull this information from a distant memory. "Jasper," he whispers finally.

I smile. "It's lovely to meet you, Jasper. I know it's scary, but I promise you're safe here."

"That's what you said when you talked to me," he says suddenly. "You said I'm safe now. Is it true?"

"You heard me talking to you last night?" I ask. He nods slowly. "Well yes, it is true. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you." He nods again, his eyes traveling up to the machine he's connected to before coming back to me. He doesn't ask, but I know what he wants to know. "When we found you outside, you were very ill. The roads were too bad to take you to a hospital, but my husband, Carlisle, is a doctor. He helped you get better." His eyes flash nervously to a spot behind me, and I find that Carlisle has returned. "Jasper, this is Carlisle. He won't hurt you either, I promise." The boy hesitates, unsure for a moment, then nods again.

Carlisle smiles, taking a seat at the end of the bed. "Hello Jasper. How are you feeling?" He shrugs shyly. "Does anything hurt?" The child shakes his head. "Good, I'm glad. Are you hungry at all?" Jasper thinks for a moment, looking between the two of us, before nodding. "Alright then. I'll leave you with Esme for a little bit and I'll bring you some food."

He disappears through the door, and the boy seems to settle down a bit. "Does it make you nervous, talking in front of new people?" He blushes a little, nodding. "Aww, honey, it's okay. I know this must be very hard for you, but you don't have to worry. You can talk to us." I have an idea, and start to get up, only to hear a desperate whimper. I look back at Jasper, seeing the fear in his eyes. He doesn't want to be left alone. "Oh, sweetheart, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I'm just getting something from that drawer right there, okay?" Hesitantly, he nods, watching me as I pull a pad and pen out of the drawer before sitting back down beside him. "I thought that if you wanted something, but you were too nervous to ask, you could just write it down or draw it instead. What do you think?"

Slowly, a small smile slips onto his face as he takes the pad from me. Carlisle comes up with a tray, and Jasper inhales the food like he hasn't eaten in months, which may not be too far from the truth. With his hunger satisfied he relaxes a little more, and his eyelids begin to droop. "Are you tired, honey?" I ask him gently. He nods, allowing me to tuck him in.

Something occurs to him, and he looks up at me nervously, trying to find the words. I wait patiently until, finally, his small voice is heard. "Please," he says softly, "Don't leave."

I smile, lightly brushing his hair back. "I won't go anywhere, okay? I'll be right here the whole time." Cautiously, the boy settles down against the pillows. He closes his eyes, but every now and then they flicker open to make sure that I'm still there. After a few times, I can't help but chuckle. "Honey, I'm not leaving. You'll never fall asleep if you keep checking."

He blushes and hides his face in the blankets, embarrassed at having been caught. "How do I know you're telling the truth?" he whispers.

"That is a very good question." I think for a moment, then have an idea. "Do you see this necklace?" I ask, holding the heart pendant out towards him. "It was Carlisle's wedding gift to me. He said that it was just like our love, because long after we grew old, it would still be there, just as perfect as the day we were married. It's very special to me, and I never go anywhere without it. I usually don't take it off, but…" I undo the clasp, holding it out for him. "Maybe you could look after it for me for a little while."

He stares at me for a minute as if trying to decide if I'm serious. "You…really want me to…?"

I smile, gently fastening it around his neck. "Absolutely. I never go anywhere without it, and as long as you have it, you know I won't leave you. How does that sound?"

The boy smiles, settling down again, his fingers lightly tracing over the heart. With his hesitation out of the way, his exhaustion quickly overcomes him, and he falls soundly asleep, the pendant clutched in his small hand.

Carlisle reappears, sitting down beside the boy and checking his wounds, careful not to disturb him. "What do you think?" he asks softly.

I sigh. "I think we're right, unfortunately. All the signs are there. He's so sweet though, Carlisle. Distrustful maybe, and frightened, but innocent and sweet. It'll take a little work, but I think we can help him."

Carlisle smiles, gently taking my hand. "We don't know that we're keeping the boy yet, love."

"I know that. I just…I think we should. It's clear he can't go home. And a boy like him would be destroyed in the foster care system. He's already been hurt enough. We could help him."

He nods, looking at the boy. "We may not have a choice, but we can try. Has he said anything about why he ended up on our porch?"

I shake my head. "He hasn't said much of anything at all, but we're getting there."

"Well, if he's eating he doesn't need to be attached to this anymore," he says, carefully pulling the IV out. He looks at the boy, his brow creasing for a second. "Is he wearing your necklace?"

I chuckle softly. "Yes. It's simple, really. If you want someone to trust you, you have to prove that you trust them too."

He nods. "Very wise."

Just then, the boy starts to stir, frowning. He wakes with a start, gasping for breath. "Jasper, honey?" His eyes fill with tears, and he begins sobbing the way children do as I gather him into my lap. "Shh Jasper, it's okay. You're safe, remember? It was just a dream. We're not going to let anything bad happen to you." Slowly, he quiets until his sobs are reduced to little gasps. I wipe his tears gently. "Are you okay now, honey?" I ask. He nods, but doesn't move away.

Carlisle hesitates. "Jasper, do you think it would be okay if we talked a little bit? You're not in trouble, I promise."

The boy thinks for a moment, then looks up at me uncertainly. "Do you have to leave?" he asks quietly.

I hug him gently. "Of course not, honey. I promised, right? I'll stay right here."

He nods, looking back at Carlisle. "Okay."

"Well Jasper, we were wondering if we could talk about where you came from, and how you ended up all the way out here. You were very ill, and it seems like someone back home was hurting you. If that's true, it's very important that we know."

The boy looks away, but stays silent, and Carlisle looks to me for help. I rub his back gently. "Honey, we know that it's very scary, but I promise it's going to be okay. We ask because when we found you, you were in pretty bad shape, and it looked like someone had hurt you. If that's true, we need to know so that we can protect you. We don't want anyone to hurt you again. We won't think any differently about you. We just want to keep you safe, and we can only do that if we know what's going on."

Tentatively, he nods, his hand clutching the necklace. "It's true. My aunts don't like me. I live with them because my Mommy and Daddy died."

I hug him gently. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. Thank you for telling us. We'll do everything we can to make sure you don't have to go back there."

"How?" he asks.

I look to Carlisle. "Well," he says, "we have to talk to the police. We can tell them what's going on and they can make sure that you're safe."

The boy whimpers softly. "They'll take me away. I don't want to go away. I want to stay here."

"It'll be okay, sweetheart," I assure him. "If you want to stay here, we'll talk to them about it. Besides, they won't be able to get here for a while, because the roads are closed. But if we don't talk to them, your aunts could get you back, and we don't want that. You just let us worry about that, okay?"

This seems to calm him a little, and he nods. Carlisle smiles. "Don't worry, Jasper. We're going to do everything we can to keep you safe. I'm going to go call Chief Swan, and I'll see you in a bit."

When he leaves, the boy looks up at me hesitantly. "Esme?"

"Yes dear?"

"If they say I can stay, do you want me to?"

I smile, brushing his hair back. "Of course I want you to. I'd love it if you stayed."

"Carlisle too?" he asks.

"Yes, Carlisle too. Would you like to meet the rest of our family?"

He looks up at me, surprised. "There's more of you?"

I chuckle. "Yes. We have four children. Edward, Emmett, Rosalie, and Alice. I think they'd like to meet you."

He thinks about it, then nods. "Okay, if you come with me."

I smile. "Of course, honey."

I help him down off the bed, holding his hand as we walk down the hall to Edward's room. When I knock on the open door, Jasper hides behind me. Edward looks up from his book. "Hi mom."

"Hi Edward. There's someone I'd like you to meet." Slowly, Jasper peeks out from behind me. "This is Jasper. He's going to be staying with us for a while."

Edward smiles, slowly coming over to crouch in front of him. "Hi Jasper. I'm Edward."

Jasper looks up at me, waiting for me to nod, before cautiously stepping out from behind me. "Hi," he says, taking Edward's hand lightly.

"It's very nice to meet you," Edward says. "If you need anything, just let me know, okay?" Jasper smiles, nodding.

"Lunch in ten minutes Edward," I tell him. I pick Jasper up, carrying him down the hall to Emmett's room. Jasper hides his face against my neck. "Hey Emmett, can you pause that game for a moment? I have someone I want you to meet."

He looks up from the screen, grinning. "Hi. I'm Emmett. Who are you?"

Jasper peeks out at him. "I'm Jasper."

"Jasper will be staying with us for a while, and I thought he should meet everyone."

"What's that?" Jasper pipes up suddenly.

Emmett looks to where he points. "That? It's a comic book. Wanna see?"

Jasper nods shyly, taking it from him carefully. He examines the cover closely. "Why is that guy punching the other guy?" he asks innocently.

"'Cause that guy is the bad guy. He hurt people, so the good guy has to fight him so that he doesn't hurt anyone else."

The boy nods seriously, handing it back. "Emmett, lunch is in ten minutes. Don't get sucked into your game and forget."

He chuckles. "I won't, I promise."

When I enter Rosalie's room, she's sitting in front of the mirror, debating over sparkly eyeshadow. "Which one do you like best, mom?" she asks me when I walk in.

While I'm debating, I set Jasper down beside me, and he looks at them too. "I like that one," he says, pointing to one.

Rosalie smiles, nodding. "I like that one too. Who are you?"

"I'm Jasper."

I chuckle. "Jasper will be staying with us for a while. And I have to say, I agree with his decision. Definitely that one. Be downstairs for lunch in ten minutes."

I take Jasper's hand again, and we walk into the hallway only to bump into Alice. "Just the girl I was looking for. Jasper, this is Alice." He waves shyly, blushing a little and hiding behind my leg.

"Is he staying, Mommy?" she asks.

"Yes, he will be staying with us, at least for a while."

She nods seriously, looking at him. "Are you feeling better?"

He nods. "Yes, thank you."

"Good, I'm glad. Are you coming to lunch?"

He looks at me, and I nod. "You can if you want to."

"I think I'd like to," he decides. I take each of them by the hand, walking down to the kitchen to where the other children wait.

"Would you like to take a seat with the other children, Jasper?" I ask. He nods, but hesitates. Alice takes his hand, sitting him between her and Edward, who smiles as I serve lunch. I watch him out of the corner of my eye while he interacts with the others. He's quiet, but seems to be relaxing around the others. After lunch, Alice asks him if he wants to play with her. He looks up at me, unsure. "You can play with her if you want, honey. I'm just going to finish washing the dishes." He nods, letting her take his hand and lead him upstairs.

When I finish, I go up to Carlisle's office, knocking softly before entering. He's researching something at his computer, but smiles when I enter. "Hey there. Where's your little shadow?" he asks.

"Playing with Alice. He seemed rather fond of her. Did you talk to Chief Swan?"

He nods. "Yes, as a matter of fact I did. We had a lengthy conversation."

"And?" I ask. "What happened?"

He sighs. "Well, he said it's highly unconventional. Usually children like Jasper are taken to a foster home. But I explained to him that I think Jasper has some issues that would make life in a foster home extremely difficult for everyone involved, and he agreed that bouncing from home to home wouldn't help. But since the roads are closed and we've had experience with foster children, he said the boy could stay for now. Once the roads are cleared, he'll come up and evaluate the boy and make a final decision. Until then, he'll be investigating the aunts."

I nod. "So how do we convince him to let Jasper stay?"

"I think we should document things about him, like his nightmares and his social anxiety. If we can show that he's improved since he's been here, it might help. And I can call in a few favors. If some experts say that staying is in his best interest, I think we have a pretty good shot."

"Okay then," I reply. "Let's go talk to him. I think he should know."

He nods, taking my hand as we walk down to the living room. Alice sits on the couch with a book, reading it aloud to Jasper, who's curled up beside her. I wrap my arms around Carlisle's waist, stopping him for a second so that I can watch the two of them. We take a seat on the couch across from them, and they look up at us. "Hi Jasper. Can we talk to you for a second?"

The boy hesitates. "Am I in trouble?"

Carlisle chuckles. "Of course not. I wanted to tell you what Chief Swan said."

The boy looks relieved, and nods. "Can Alice stay?"

"If you want her to," I tell him.

I watch Alice gently take his hand. "So can I stay?" he asks.

"Well," Carlisle starts, "he said that he's okay with you staying for now. When the roads clear he's going to come over and talk to you to make sure this is the best place for you. I told him about the situation with your aunts, and he's going to make sure they can't hurt you anymore."

The boy nods thoughtfully. "Do you think when he comes he'll let me stay?"

I nod. "We think we have a very good chance of that. When he comes, he'll probably want to talk to you about your aunts. Do you think that would be okay?"

He thinks about it for a moment. "If it means I can stay, then yes."

I smile. "Alright honey. You can go back to playing now."

Later that night, while Jasper is brushing his teeth, Carlisle comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around me. "Is he going to sleep alone tonight?" he asks. "You haven't slept at all in a while."

I shrug. "I hadn't thought about it. I'll talk to him." I help Jasper get ready for bed. "Honey," I ask, "do you want to sleep in our room or have someone stay with you tonight?"

He thinks about it for a moment. "No, that's alright."

"Are you sure?" He nods. "Okay. Well if you change your mind or you need us for any reason, you know where our room is. We don't mind being woken up, okay?" I tuck him in tightly, kissing his forehead. "Goodnight sweetheart." I fall asleep quickly, but it isn't long before I'm awoken again by a scream. I rush down to Jasper's room to find that Alice is already there, trying to soothe the shaking boy. I gently gather him into my arms, hugging him tightly. "Shh Jasper, it's okay," I murmur. "It was only a dream. You're safe. No one is going to hurt you." He clings to me tightly as he slowly calms down. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

He nods, embarrassed. "I'm sorry for waking you."

I kiss his forehead gently. "Don't be sorry honey, its fine. I don't mind. Just relax. Would it help if you slept with Carlisle and I tonight?" He nods, and I pick him up.

"Can I come too?" Alice pipes up.

I smile. "Yes baby, you can come too." I settle the two of them between Carlisle and I, tucking them in. They both fall asleep quickly, and I stay up for a few more hours, but no more nightmares occur, so I let myself drift off to sleep. 

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**Yay! Please remember to review! It makes me so happy!**

**Love,**

**TheSongSmith**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Thank you so, so much for all your support, I can't tell you how happy it made me to get all those reviews! So here's the next chapter for you. Enjoy!**

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When I wake up again, the house is quiet and Alice and Jasper are peacefully asleep beside me, so I slip downstairs to start breakfast. After a while, Edward and Rosalie come downstairs. "Hey mom?" Edward asks. "Can we talk to you for a second?"

I nod, coming over to the table. "Sure. Something on your minds?"

"It's about Jasper," Rosalie says. "We were just wondering where he came from."

I sit down in front of them. "Well, I understand your curiosity. Jasper comes from somewhere similar to you, Rosalie. He didn't have a family who would take care of him."

"They hurt him, didn't they?" she asks sadly.

I nod. "I'm afraid they did. That's why he's here, and why he's…a bit shy."

Edward nods. "Do you think we can help him?" he asks.

"I think so," I tell him. "It's not going to be easy, but I think we can all help. You two are the oldest, so I trust you to understand. We need to remember that he may react strangely or get upset about certain things, and when that happens we have to be patient and supportive. We have to try to make him feel like he belongs here. He has his own set of problems like everyone else, but we're going to help him. Can I count on you two?"

They both nod. "Are we adopting him?" Rosalie asks.

I hesitate. "I don't know for sure yet. We'd like to, but it's…complicated. Your father has spoken to the police about the situation, but we're going to have to prove what his family did to him before we can officially keep him. We're trying our best."

"Will you let us know how things are going?"

"Of course I will," I assure them, "as long as you promise me that you understand that any information about Jasper stays between us, and that you'll do your best to help him."

They look at each other for a moment, then nod. "We promise."

"Good. Now, who's hungry?" I've just finished serving them breakfast when I hear small feet on the stairs. Jasper peeks into the kitchen, and I smile. He runs over and hugs me tightly. "Good morning honey," I say, hugging him back. "Did you sleep okay?" He nods. "Good. Why don't you take a seat and have some breakfast?" I watch him climb up beside Edward, digging into his food. When he's settled in, I go upstairs to wake Alice and Emmett. I've almost reached Emmett's room when I hear something shatter and a small cry from downstairs. I run down to find broken glass on the floor, but no Jasper in sight. "What happened?" I ask a stunned Edward.

"I don't know," he replies. "He accidentally knocked the glass off the table and then bolted before we could say anything." He points to the backyard, and I notice a small set of footprints heading into the forest.

I sigh, grabbing my coat off the rack. "He probably thought he'd be in trouble for breaking it. I'm going to find him before the snow covers his tracks."

Edward stands up from the table. "I want to help look for him."

"Okay, grab your coat then. Rosalie, can you please clean up the glass and make sure Alice and Emmett eat? We'll be back soon." She nods grabbing the broom from the closet as we head out the door. "So he just ran off?" I ask Edward.

He nods. "I think it just frightened him, and that was his first reaction. We didn't have time to stop him. He's fast."

"It's not your fault, Edward," I assure him. "This is just one of those things we talked about. I'm sure he would have been punished for something like that back where he came from. He doesn't understand yet that things are different here. Why did you want to come along?"

He shrugs. "I want to help. I'm the oldest. I want to be someone he can look up to."

I smile, pulling him close as we walk. "That's sweet of you. I'm sure he'll appreciate it." We follow the trail of footprints for a few more minutes before I hear soft sniffling. Slowing down a bit, I peer through the trees. Jasper sits in the snow in a little clearing, his back pressed against a tree trunk, wet trails shining on his cheeks. I stop Edward for a moment, watching quietly as a small deer cautiously wanders up to him. Gently, Jasper reaches out, petting it lightly. Slowly, we walk into the clearing. "There you are, Jasper," I say, the deer running off at the sound.

The boy jumps up, backing away slightly. Edward stops moving forward, instead crouching down. "Please, don't run again. It's okay, buddy. We're not mad, and we're not going to hurt you."

Jasper hesitates for a moment. "B-But…" he stammers, "I-I broke it…"

Following Edward's lead, I crouch down too. "Honey, it was an accident. Accidents happen. You're not in trouble."

The boy sinks down to the snow again, trying to wipe his tears. Slowly, we approach him again, sitting down on either side of him. "It's alright, Jasper," Edward murmurs, putting an arm around the smaller boy. "It wasn't your fault. And no matter what, we'd never hurt you."

Jasper shifts closer to him. "Even if I did something really bad?"

Edward chuckles."Even then. We're never going to hurt you like they did, no matter what happens. We were just worried about you when you ran off like that."

"Sorry," Jasper says, looking down at his lap. "I just got scared."

I smile, rubbing his back gently. "We know sweetheart, and that's okay. We just want you to know that you have no reason to be scared of us, okay? And if you're ever scared again, you can always talk to us. We're here for you." He nods, shivering slightly, having left the house in nothing but pajamas. "Alright then. Why don't we go home and get you out of those wet clothes?" He stands up, and I watch as Edward takes off his own jacket, wrapping it around Jasper before picking the boy up. Jasper presses closer to him, happy to be warm as we walk home. When we make it back to the house, he doesn't seem any more willing to be put down. "How does a warm bath sound?" I ask him. He shrugs, holding onto Edward tighter.

"How about if I go with you?" Edward offers.

Jasper considers it for a moment, then nods. "Okay."

"Alright, good. Edward, do you mind taking him upstairs and running the water for me while I check on everyone else?" he takes the boy upstairs while I check on Alice, Emmett and Rosalie, who are all eating happily. On my way upstairs, I stop in our bedroom to find Carlisle still asleep. I chuckle, leaning down to kiss him softly as he stirs. "Good morning sleepyhead."

He smiles. "Morning. How is our young visitor?"

"He's doing fairly well. We had a bit of an incident at breakfast, but it's okay now. Edward is running a bath for him. They seem rather fond of each other. Rosalie and Edward were asking me about Jasper this morning."

"Oh? And what did you tell them?"

I shrug. "The truth. They both seem to care for the boy. They want to help."

He smiles. "Well that's good to hear. I'm proud of them."

"Me too. The others are downstairs eating breakfast. I'll be down soon." As I approach the bathroom, I hear the greatest sound I've heard in a long time. It's Jasper's laughter. When I walk in, he's splashing around in the tub, taking the bubbles and putting them on Edward's face.

"Think that's funny, huh?" Edward laughs. He scoops up more bubbles, putting them on Jasper's head. The younger boy giggles again.

"Well, it looks like I missed quiet the party," I smile, sitting at the edge of the tub. Jasper grins up at me. "Is it alright if I touch you sweetheart?" I ask him. He nods, relaxing a little as I begin cleaning him off. "Thank you for being so helpful, Edward. I really appreciate it."

The older boy shrugs. "I don't mind. I helped with Alice and Em when they were younger. Besides, we had a good time, didn't we Jazz?"

Jasper nods, looking between the two of us for a moment. "Edward?" he asks finally.

"Yeah?"

"How come you don't look the same?"

Edward smiles. "Because we didn't all come from the same family originally. We were adopted."

"All of you?" he asks. Edward nods. "Why?"

He shrugs. "Well, all of us needed families, and mom and dad wanted to have a family. So they adopted me first, then Rosalie and Emmett, and then Alice. Now we're a family."

I mentally take stock of the evidence of injury on Jasper's body as I listen to them. The sheer number of scars on his tiny frame is surprising and a little sad. "Do you ever miss your other family?" I hear Jasper ask.

Edward thinks about it for a moment. "Not usually. They died when I was very little, so I don't remember them much. Besides, this is my family now. I love them. What about you?"

Jasper shrugs as I coax him into tilting his head back so that I can rinse his hair. "I miss my Mama and Daddy. But not my aunts. They were mean. 'Specially my aunt Maria. I like it better here."

"Well we like having you here," I smile. "Now, let's get you dressed." I wrap him in a towel, lifting him out of the tub and gently drying him off.

When he's fully dressed, he takes Edward's hand and joins the other children in the living room while I clean up from breakfast. Edward settles in a chair with a book, and I watch out of the corner of my eye as Jasper shyly tugs on his sleeve. When Edward looks over at him, he holds up the drawing pad I gave him. There's a picture of two people and a book. "You want me to read to you?" Edward asks. Jasper nods, blushing a little. "Sure, buddy." He picks the boy up, sitting him in his lap and beginning his story out loud. I watch as Jasper cuddles closer to him, closing his eyes after a while. Edward chuckles. "Are you sleepy?" The younger boy shakes his head. "Just listening?" He nods.

"It's pretty," he explains.

Edward smiles, continuing the story while I go upstairs to find Carlisle at his desk. "How's the research going?" I ask.

He smiles. "Pretty well. How is he?"

"He's okay. I think you might want to evaluate his reading and math skills."

He looks up at me. "You don't think he can read?"

I shrug. "I don't think he's been taught. You said yourself he was taken out of school very early. He asked Edward to read to him. He doesn't follow the words when someone else is reading like a normal child his age would."

He nods. "It certainly makes sense. I'll check it out."

"Did you find anything about a Maria?" I ask. "He and Edward were talking while I cleaned him up, and he mentioned she was the worst of his aunts."

He looks through his papers for a moment before handing one to me. "Yes, actually. Maria Flores. She was his mother's half-sister, along with Lucy and Nettie. They don't appear to ever have been particularly close, but when Jasper's parents died, they were his only surviving relatives. Maria is his legal guardian, but it looks like Lucy and Nettie live with her."

I nod, looking over the paper. "And his parents? Do we know what happened to them?"

"A car accident," he says, "When Jasper was five. He wasn't in the car. He was put into foster care for a little while before Maria claimed him. That's when he was pulled out of school."

I sit down on the edge of the desk, looking over the papers. "Why would she claim him if she didn't want him?" I ask. "She could have left him. Why take a child you don't want?"

Carlisle shrugs. "I don't know. Maybe it was her way of getting back at her half-sister. It looks like her father left them and married Jasper's mother's mother. Maybe she was angry over it, and saw an opportunity to make someone pay for it."

"But it wasn't Jasper's fault," I murmur. "He wasn't even a thought back then. Why him?"

He sighs. "You're right, it doesn't make much sense. I think Jasper represented another thing her half-sister had that she couldn't. Right after Jasper was born, Maria had a series of appointments with a fertility specialist. It looks like she couldn't have children. Maybe her jealousy made her bitter, and poor Jasper paid the price."

"What does Chief Swan say?" I ask.

"We've been discussing it all morning," he says. "We may be able to get legal custody of Jasper before we adopt him, if we help prosecute them."

I nod. "What does that mean, exactly?"

"Well, the state is technically in charge of the prosecution side of things. They have to be, because he's a minor. But being that we have him for now, we can testify for them. If the state wins, they have the power to decide where to place Jasper, according to what's in his own best interest. Right now we've been given temporary legal custody, but Chief Swan believes that he will be able to get us more permanent legal custody, instead of having him in a foster home until our paperwork goes through. It's not a sure thing, and it depends on his evaluation, but he thinks we have a good shot at winning it, especially due to Jasper's issues."

"That's great," I say. "They have to see that we can help him much better than any foster home. So when do they start prosecuting?"

"The trial won't start until the snow clears, but now that they have evidence, they're just waiting for the warrant to clear before they arrest his aunts. They've been watching them in case they try to run. And since they're a flight risk, Chief Swan doesn't believe they'll get bail, so they'll be stuck in a jail cell until it starts."

I nod. "Good. They deserve it. But Carlisle, are you sure this is what you want? To adopt the boy?"

He looks up at me, surprised. "Don't you want to keep him?"

"I do, more than anything, but it's not just my decision. I don't want you to do it for me."

He smiles, pulling me closer. "I want to keep him too. He deserves a family that will take care of him. We can't just turn him over to the system. He'd be destroyed. Besides, he seems to fit here. So, I've also been working on fast-tracking his adoption papers. We can't technically file them, but if the state knows that we're interested, we have a better shot at getting him. I've called in a few favors."

I smile, kissing him softly. "I love you. He'll be thrilled. Just wait until I tell him."

He chuckles. "Sweetheart, he's still adjusting to being somewhere where he doesn't have to fear for his life. We should give him a little while. But we should probably talk to the other children about it. You can do that while I figure out his academic level."

I nod, going back downstairs to find Jasper still on Edward's lap, chatting happily. He looks up as I come into the room. I smile. "Hey Jasper. Do you mind coming upstairs with me for a few minutes?"

"Am I in trouble?" he asks innocently.

I chuckle. "No sweetheart. We just had a couple of questions for you, that's all. Edward will still be here when we come back."

The boy nods, hopping up and taking my hand as we walk up to Carlisle's office. "Hi Jasper," he says brightly as the boy sits down. How are you doing?"

The boy shrugs. "I'm okay. How are you?"

"I'm good. Would it be okay if we talked for a little while?" He nods. "Alright then. We were wondering when the last time you went to school was."

Jasper blushes, looking down at his lap. "Not for a long time. I went to kindergarten, but then my aunts said I couldn't go back."

"Did you ever learn how to read or write or do math?"

He shakes his head sadly. "Not really…"

I put an arm around him, hugging him gently. "It's okay honey, we know you're smart. We only ask because we want to help you."

He looks up. "Will you teach me?"

I smile. "Of course we will sweetheart. Maybe Edward will even teach you."

He brightens at this. "Is it okay if I ask you some questions so we can see what you already know?" Carlisle asks. Jasper nods.

"Jasper, is it alright if I leave you with Carlisle for a bit? I'll be just downstairs." He nods, so I go back into the living room and gather the rest of the children. "I wanted to talk to you all about Jasper," I explain. "Daddy and I are thinking about adopting him, but we wanted to know what you all thought."

Edward smiles. "I vote yes. I like him."

"Me too," Rosalie agrees. "He needs our help."

"I vote yes!" Alice pipes up. "I like him too!"

Emmett nods. "I think it's a good idea."

I smile. "Alright then. Don't say anything to him yet. We want to wait a little while before we spring that on him." Just then, Carlisle brings Jasper downstairs, taking a seat beside me. Jasper becomes involved in some game with the kids, and we watch him happily for a while before Carlisle beckons for me to follow him into the kitchen. "How did it go?" I ask him.

"Well, he's at about the level I thought. He's got some basic skills, but hasn't put them together yet. He shows a lot of promise, though. He's very bright. I think if we start working with him, he could be ready for school by next year."

I nod. "Well that's great. We'll get started soon."

Just then, Edward comes in, sitting across from you. "Can I talk to you for a second?" he asks.

We nod. "What is it Edward?"

He hesitates. "Do you know what happened to Jasper?"

Carlisle shrugs. "Not the details. Why, did he say something?"

He shakes his head. "Not exactly. It's just…when I was getting him ready for his bath earlier, he was very hesitant to get undressed. I don't think he wanted us to see his scars."

I nod. "Thank you, Edward. You're probably right. I think he's ashamed of them. We'll work on it. Thank you for letting us know. We're very proud of you. You've been so wonderful with him."

He smiles and shrugs. "He's a good kid. He just wants someone to care for him." He runs back to the living room, rejoining the game. 

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**Yay for family times! Please remember to keep reviewing and showing your support! I really appreciate it!**

**Love,**

**TheSongSmith**


	4. Chapter 4

**You guys are awesome! I feel the love from all your reviews and messages and I wanted to say I love you too! So here's a little family fluff and Jasper discovering the wonder of marshmallows! Enjoy!**

* * *

By the end of Jasper's second week here, he's already improving. He's put on some much-needed weight, is less easily fatigued, and seems to be connecting with the family a little easier. Things aren't perfect; he's still cautious and hesitant around us, still suffers from persistent nightmares and anxiety, has severe trust issues, and occasionally slips back into his old ways, but the other day he was able to communicate with us when he was frightened. It may not seem like much, but it's incredible progress for a boy who has suffered as long as he had. I watch him as he lays on the living room carpet beside Edward, sounding out words from a children's book. Though we've all taken up teaching him, Jasper seems to connect better with Edward. I think he wants to impress him the most. Edward points to each word, helping him break them up. "The…duh…dog…is…ch…ch…" The boy frowns, pushing the book away from him in frustration. "This is dumb. I don't want to do it anymore."

Edward calmly retrieves it again. "Are you telling me that you're a quitter?"

"No!" Jasper insists immediately.

"Well then don't give up. You're almost there. I know you can do it. You're certainly smart enough." He places the book back in front of the boy. "Give it another try, and then I'll read to you, I promise."

The younger boy sighs, but looks at the book again. "The…dog…is…ch….cha…s…ing…" he pauses, then starts again. "The dog is cha…sing….chasing….the…ball?"

Edward smiles, putting an arm around him. "That was great! I told you you could do it."

Jasper grins, proud of his accomplishment. "Can you read now?" he asks.

"Yes, I'll read now. Go pick out what you want to read," Edward tells him, sitting down on the couch. Jasper picks up a book that looks heavier than he is and hands it to Edward before curling up beside him. As Edward reads, he points to each word, and Jasper follows along for a while, but it isn't long before he's lulled to sleep by the words. The older boy chuckles, holding him as he sleeps. After a little while, Jasper starts thrashing and mumbling to himself, having another nightmare. He wakes with a gasp as Edward hugs him gently. "It's okay Jasper, I'm here."

Jasper presses closer to him. "She's gonna get me, Edward," he mumbles, still half asleep.

"No one is going to get you," Edward assures him. "I won't let them, okay?"

The boy peeks up at him. "Promise?"

"I promise." Jasper nods, seemingly satisfied with this. "Hey," Edward says, "Why don't you go tell Alice that you read a whole sentence all by yourself today?" He brightens at this, hopping off the couch and going upstairs. Edward watches him for a minute before coming over to me. He sighs. "I wish there was more we could do about the nightmares."

I hug him lightly. "I know, sweetheart. Me too. But he is getting better. He calms down faster now."

"But he still has them all the time," he points out.

It's true, and Carlisle and I have been trying to figure out what to do about it. During his waking hours, Jasper remains emotionally distant from what happened to him, which results in severe nightmares that seem to plague him whenever he falls asleep. It doesn't matter who he's with or where he is. He's woken up at least once every night with them, and the snippets we're able to catch from his mumbling sound terrible. It can't be healthy, but we've decided to wait until he's ready, and hope that it won't be too much longer. "That's true," I agree. "I think it'll take some time before he'll be ready to talk to us about what happened to him. And until he comes to terms with it, I don't know if there's much else we can do besides comfort him the best way we can."

He shrugs. "Still, I wish we could do something."

"Well, honey, Jasper most likely has a lot of very intense emotions wrapped up with those memories, and when they finally do come to the surface, he's going to need us. We're helping him already by showing him that we're here to help. That way, when the time comes, he'll know we'll be here to support him."

He sighs again, nodding reluctantly. "So we just have to wait it out, then?"

I smile. "Don't worry, Edward. He's a tough little boy, but no one can stay strong forever."

"I just hope that when he finally does break, we'll be able to put him back together again."

I squeeze his shoulder lightly. "We will. I can promise you that much." He goes upstairs to his own room, and I think about what he said. He's not alone with that frustration. At times, it can feel helpless. Out of desperation, Carlisle has even filmed some of the boy's nightmares and sent the footage to every child psychologist and abuse expert he knows, hoping there would be something we could do to make it easier on him. They've all said the same thing. Jasper has survived this long by shutting himself down when things got bad. The nightmares won't stop until he's ready to deal with the emotional side of what happened, and even then, they might not ever stop completely. They all agree that all we can do is wait.

Carlisle comes up behind me, hugging me gently. "What are you thinking about?"

I smile. "The usual. What about you?"

"I was thinking about doing something fun with Jasper. I don't think he likes me very much."

I chuckle, kissing his cheek. "I don't think it's that he doesn't like you. I think he just doesn't know what to do around you. It's clear that you're an authority figure, but not one like he knows. Plus, he probably hasn't had a father figure in his life for a long time. He's just not used to you yet. What did you have in mind?"

He shrugs. "I thought he might like to see the waterfall. But I don't think he'd agree to go with just me."

I nod. "He might be more comfortable if the others went too. Maybe we can take a family hike over there later. It is almost Christmas. Maybe we can pick out a tree on the way back. I'm sure he'd like to help."

He smiles. "I think that sounds like a wonderful idea." Later, after lunch, we bundle the kids up for our hike in the snow. Carlisle kneels down to help Jasper with his Jacket. "How was your day today?" he asks.

The boy shrugs. "It was okay. I read a whole sentence all by myself."

"You did? That's great! You've been working hard, haven't you?" Jasper nods. "Well," Carlisle says, "I'm proud of you. You'll be reading whole books in no time." The boy smiles shyly, pleased at having made him proud.

When they're all ready, we set out into the woods, the children chatting happily amongst themselves. However, when we come into view of the waterfall, they fall silent. During the coldest parts of the year, the waterfall freezes, and the ice makes for a beautiful sight. To one side, the ground drops off in a sharp cliff. I watch the children carefully as they play, making sure they don't get too close. I have to pause in my vigilance to put a band-aid on Alice's scraped finger, and when I look up again, Jasper has wandered close to the edge. "Jasper," I call, "be careful over there. You don't want to fall."

The boy turns to look at me, and in doing so slips on a hidden patch of ice, sliding towards the edge. He lets out a frightened yelp, which cuts off abruptly as Carlisle catches him and picks him up, carrying him away from the cliff. Jasper hides against him for a minute, shaken. "It's alright buddy," Carlisle assures him gently. "You're okay. I've got you." Slowly, Jasper peeks up at him. He smiles. "See, you're fine. I told you I'd keep you safe, didn't I?"

Little by little, the boy relaxes against him. "Thank you," he murmurs softly.

"Any time, Jasper." He starts to put the boy down, but Jasper doesn't seem keen on letting go of him. "Would it make you feel better if I carried you?" The boy nods shyly, pressing closer to him.

On the walk back, Carlisle tells the children to pick out a tree, and Jasper looks at him, puzzled. "For what?" he asks innocently.

"It's almost Christmas!" Alice explains. "We have to get a tree so we can decorate it!"

He thinks about it for a moment. "What happens when there are no more trees left?"

Carlisle chuckles. "That's a good question. We plant a new one in the spring to replace the one we use for Christmas."

"Did you ever celebrate Christmas, Jasper?" Emmett asks.

By talking to him, we've discovered that, though he was old enough to remember some of the time before his parents' death, the trauma he experienced caused his earlier memories to be vague and unclear, if not entirely forgotten. The younger boy thinks. "I think so, when I was little and my parents were around. I wasn't allowed to celebrate anything when I moved with my aunts. They didn't like celebrating."

"Why?" Alice asks.

He shrugs. "Because it's fun, I guess."

When they've decided on a tree, Edward takes Jasper so that Carlisle can cut it down. He and Emmett carry it back to the house, setting it up in the living room while the others help me get ready for dinner. Jasper stares out the window for a moment. "Esme?" he asks, "How long until the snow melts?"

"It's hard to tell for sure. At least a few more weeks. Why?"

He shrugs. "That's when Chief Swan comes, isn't it?"

I hug him gently. "Oh baby, are you worrying about that already? You still have plenty of time. And we won't give you up without a fight. Just try to enjoy yourself and not worry about it, okay?"

He nods reluctantly, sliding into his spot around the table. After dinner, Edward and Rosalie bring up the decorations from the basement while Alice and Jasper sit in the kitchen with me. "What are you doing?" Jasper asks from his perch on the counter.

"I'm making hot chocolate." I think for a moment, wondering if there are foods he's never seen before. "Have you ever had it?"

He shrugs, looking down at the bag of marshmallows on the counter. "What's that?"

"Marshmallows."

I take one out of the bag and hand it to him, chuckling as he carefully investigates it, squishing it between his fingers. "Why's it all squishy?" he asks.

I smile. "I don't know. That's just how they are."

He stares at it, puzzled. "What do you do with it?"

"You eat them, sweetheart. Try it." Slowly, he sticks his tongue out, licking it. Then, cautiously, he bites into it. It takes a moment for him to process it, but when he does his face lights up. I laugh softly. "Is it good?" he nods, popping the rest of it into his mouth. I put a few on a plate for him, and he happily munches away as I finish pouring the hot chocolate into cups, bringing them into the living room. Jasper trails behind me, his mouth full of marshmallows. "Jasper, would you like to try hot chocolate?" He nods, so I hand him a cup. "Be careful, you don't want to burn your tongue." Cautiously, he takes a sip. Then he looks back and forth between the cup and the marshmallows for a second before dipping a marshmallow into the hot chocolate. "Do you like it?" I ask him.

He nods happily, but abandons his cup to look at the decorations. He picks them up carefully, examining them closely as Carlisle strings lights around the tree. "What are those for?" he asks.

"We put them on the tree to make it pretty!" Alice explains.

The kids busy themselves with decorating while Carlisle and I watch. When they've finished, they turn the lights on. Jasper claps happily. "Well now, that looks beautiful. Wonderful job everyone." Jasper and Alice both yawn simultaneously, and I chuckle. "Bedtime for you."

I pick them up, carrying them upstairs and getting them both washed and ready for bed. "Mommy, can we bake cookies tomorrow?" Alice asks.

I smile, tucking her into bed. "I think that sounds like a lovely idea. What do you think, Jasper? Want to make cookies tomorrow?"

He nods. "Can we eat marshmallows again tomorrow?" he asks.

I chuckle. "Yes, we can. Are you ready to go to bed?"

He nods, and I tuck him in tightly as Carlisle comes in. "Did you have fun today?" he asks.

Jasper nods. "Yes. Thank you for saving me."

Carlisle hugs him gently. "You're welcome buddy. Sweet dreams. I'll see you tomorrow." 

* * *

**Yay!**** Please keep reviewing and showing your support, and the chappies will keep coming! You have no idea how happy it makes me!**

**Love,**

**TheSongSmith**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yay for new chapters! This one is a little shorter than previous ones, but there's a lot of plot and I wanted to get it out to you asap! Enjoy!**

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As it turns out, Jasper's emotional wall breaks sooner than we'd anticipated, with an inhuman shriek in the middle of the night that makes my blood run cold. Carlisle and I jump out of bed, racing downstairs to the living room, which is lit only by the glow of the TV. It takes me a moment to locate Jasper, but when I do my heart breaks for him. He lies curled up on the carpet, his tiny hands clutching his head as he makes noises like a wild animal, somewhere in between sobbing and screaming. I look to Carlisle as I kneel beside the boy, wondering what could have set him off so badly, but he's focused on the screen. I look up to see a news clip of three women being led away in handcuffs, and it only takes me a moment to realize what's happened. Carlisle sinks down to the carpet on the boy's other side, quickly turning the TV off. "Jasper," I murmur, "Can you hear me sweetheart?" There's no response, as the boy continues howling.

I start to reach out for him, but Carlisle stops me. "Don't touch him yet," he whispers. "He's not with us, it could make things worse. Try talking to him. It might bring him back."

I nod, speaking softly to the boy as the other children, roused by the noise, come downstairs to investigate. "Baby, it's alright. It's Esme. I know you're scared, but you're okay. We're not going to let them hurt you again. We're all here for you. You're safe now, I promise." Slowly, the animal-like sound softens and then disappears, leaving only his sobs and gasps to fill the air. "Sweetheart, can you hear me now?"

Slowly, he blinks up at me through his tears. "I'm s-s-s-sorry," he whimpers in between his sobs.

Relief rushes through me as I gather him into my arms, hugging him tightly. "You have nothing to be sorry for baby. It's okay to be upset. Just try to calm down. I've got you."

I continue to murmur to him as, gradually, his cries slow. Hesitantly, he looks up. "I'm s-sorry, I didn't m-mean to…" he whispers nervously.

I lightly brush his hair back, wiping his tears. "Shh honey, it's okay. We're not angry. You're not in trouble. Deep breaths, sweetheart. We're not going anywhere."

He sniffles softly. "Really? You're not mad?"

Gently, Carlisle reaches out, patting his shoulder lightly. "Really," he says. "Have you been punished for crying before?" The boy nods slowly. "Well we're never going to do that to you. It's okay to be emotional here. We care about you, and we're here to help."

Jasper looks up at him, and then at the other kids, huddled on the couch. "If I wanted to…talk about what happened," he asks hesitantly, "would that…be okay?"

I smile, hugging him gently. "Of course that would be okay honey. We're here to support you. Whenever you decide you're ready to talk about anything, you can always come to us. We're your family."

The boy looks at me, startled. "What did you say?"

"Oh. Well, I…" I hesitate for a moment, unsure if this is the proper moment to bring this up. I look at Carlisle, who smiles, and at the kids, who all nod furiously. "Jasper," I start, "We were wondering how you'd feel about becoming a permanent part of the family."

The boy frowns for a moment in confusion. "Did Chief Swan decide I can stay?" he asks.

Carlisle smiles. "No, not yet. But even if he said you couldn't stay with us right now, once we'd adopt you, you'd be part of our family forever. You don't have to say yes, only if it's something you want. But we'd love to have you be our newest son."

Jasper looks around at all of us for a moment before bursting into tears again. I rub his back gently. "Sweetheart, what is it? What's wrong?"

He shakes his head, trying to speak. "N-Nothing…nothing's w-wrong…"

"Are those happy tears?" I ask.

He nods. "You w-want me? Really?" he manages. "You w-w-want me to b-be a part of your f-family?"

I hug him tighter. "Oh baby, of course we want you. We care about you very much, and we'd love for you to be a part of our family."

Slowly, Jasper calms down, and I gently wipe his tears. "B-But what about all my problems?" he asks, small gasps interrupting his speech.

Carlisle smiles, brushing his hair back lightly. "Jasper, you know that's never mattered to us. We can help you overcome anything. What's important is that you're a very special little boy, and we love you. We can make it official if you want. If you don't, that's fine too. We'll still love you just as much and be here for you."

Jasper sniffles, smiling at him. "I want to be a part of your family," he decides.

"Alright then, that's what we'll do."

Jasper hesitates for a moment before sliding out of my arms and hugging Carlisle tightly. "Did you mean what you said about helping me with my problems?"

Carlisle chuckles. "Of course I meant it. We want you to be happy."

The boy nods. "How are you going to do that?"

"I think we can discuss that after we all get some sleep," I say. "Would you like to say goodnight to your brothers and sisters?"

Jasper nods in agreement, hugging each of the other children tightly before stumbling back into my arms, resting quietly as I send the others off to bed, the emotions and the late hour catching up to him. "Esme?" he mumbles sleepily, "Is it okay if I sleep like this?"

I chuckle, kissing his cheek. "Of course it's okay baby."

"My head hurts."

I smile. "I know sweetheart. You've had a rough night. You'll feel better in the morning."

His eyes open again for a moment. "Don't let go, okay?"

"Never. I promise." Satisfied with this, Jasper falls soundly asleep against my shoulder, and for the first time since he's arrived, he sleeps peacefully and uninterrupted by nightmares.

In the morning, Carlisle wakes up, rolling towards me. "How is he?" he murmurs.

"No nightmares," I report. "I think he's going to be okay."

He smiles, lightly stroking the boy's hair as he stirs and blinks up at us. He stares at me for a second. "You're still here."

I chuckle. "I promised, didn't I? Good morning sweetheart. Are you feeling better?"

He thinks about it for a moment, then nods. "Yes. I didn't have any nightmares."

"That's very good," Carlisle says. "You let out some of your emotions, so they stopped turning into nightmares."

The boy blinks. "That was real?" he asks. I nod. "And…you really want me to be part of your family?"

"Yes sweetheart, it was all real. Now, let's get you cleaned up, shall we? We're making cookies today."

The boy grins. "And eating marshmallows!"

Carlisle laughs. "That's right. So let's get you washed up, and then we'll go searching for the marshmallows."

Jasper claps, allowing Carlisle to pick him up and carry him off to the bathroom while I go check on the other children. I open Edward's door quietly, only to find him already awake. I smile, sitting down beside him. "Good morning. How'd you sleep?"

He shrugs. "Okay I guess. How is Jasper?" he asks worriedly.

"He's doing very well," I assure him. "He's feeling much better, and he didn't have any nightmares last night."

He nods. "Good. I was worried about him after last night. Do you know what happened?"

"As far as we can tell, he must have woken up at some point and couldn't go back to sleep, so he went downstairs to watch TV. When he turned it on the news was on, and the story happened to be about his aunts. I think seeing them so suddenly caught him off guard, and all those emotions we talked about caught up with him. I know it was scary, but it is better for him to let them out."

"I know that," he agrees, "But it was startling to see him that way."

I nod, hugging him lightly. "I know honey. But hopefully we won't ever have to see it again. I think he understands now that it's okay to let things out. Want to come downstairs and have breakfast with him?"

He smiles, nodding and going downstairs. The rest of the children are still asleep, so I go downstairs to find Edward, Jasper and Carlisle eating cereal. Jasper is studying the Christmas tree intently. "Something on your mind, Jazz?" Carlisle asks.

"My aunts had a Christmas party," he says suddenly. "It sounded like fun."

I nod. "Where were you while they were having the party?"

"In the hall closet. They didn't want their friends to know I was there. They said if I made a sound, it would be the sorriest thing I ever did."

Carlisle hesitates. "Is that somewhere you spent a lot of time?" he asks.

The boy nods. "That's where I spent most of the time, unless they wanted me to do something. The rest of the time I was in the closet."

I watch Carlisle and Edward process this information. Edward frowns slightly, but doesn't let his composure slip, giving only a slight hesitation before scooping up more cereal. Carlisle nods slowly. "Well, this year you'll get to experience all the fun for yourself."

The boy grins. "I'm excited. How many days until Christmas?"

"Just about a week," Edward answers. "Then Santa will come and leave us presents."

Jasper thinks about this for a moment. "How is Santa going to get here when Chief Swan can't?" he asks, puzzled.

The rest of us can't help but chuckle at such an innocent question. Jasper stares at us, unsure of what was funny. "We're not laughing at you, sweetheart," I assure him. "That's a very good question. Santa travels in a sleigh pulled by magical reindeer. That's how he visits everyone in one night."

He considers this, then nods. "Oh. And Chief Swan doesn't have any magical reindeer, right?"

I smile. "Right. And cars aren't as good in the snow as reindeer are."

"Okay. When are we making cookies?" he asks.

"Once the other kids get up we should be ready. Why don't you and Edward hang out for a while until we're ready?"

He smiles. "Okay. Can we read again?"

Edward chuckles. "Of course we can. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten."

They go off into the living room together, and Carlisle sighs, leaning against the table. I come up beside him, gently wrapping my arms around him. "A closet?" he murmurs. "Just when you think it couldn't get worse, you find out they were keeping him locked in a closet."

I kiss his cheek. "I know, love. It's horrible. But he's never going back there again. He's safe now."

He nods slowly. "I know. It just makes me sad that they could do that to him."

"It is sad. And it certainly explains a lot. But try to look at the bright side. He told us without us asking. That's a big step for him."

He smiles a little. "Yeah, I guess you're right. He trusted us to know."

I kiss his cheek. "Exactly. Just remember that, whenever he brings something like that up. At least he's talking to us."

He goes after the boys, leaving me to get ready for cookie-making. One by one, the other children come downstairs for breakfast, chatting happily. Rosalie waves me over. "How is he?" she asks.

I smile. "He's perfectly fine sweetheart. He's going to be okay."

She nods. "Good."

Jasper runs in, almost crashing into me in his excitement. "Esme! Esme! Look!" He holds up a book, putting it down on the counter. Pointing to each word, he slowly reads, "The sun did not…shine. It was too…wet to play. So we sat in the house all that cold, cold wet day."

I clap, hugging him tightly. "Jasper, that's wonderful! I'm so proud of you!" He blushes as I kiss his cheek. "I knew you could do it."

He smiles. "Is it time to make cookies?" he asks.

"Yes, I think it is." He sits at the counter with the other children, watching as I roll out the dough. It takes him a little while to get the hang of it, but soon he picks up a cookie cutter and joins the others in decorating. While I pop the cookies in the oven, the kids run off to the living room, and Carlisle comes in to join me, helping me clean up the excess sprinkles and icing littering the table.

After a little while, Jasper returns. "Hey buddy," Carlisle smiles. "Something on your mind?"

The boy nods, climbing up into a chair. "Can I ask you about something?"

"Of course. What is it?"

He hesitates for a moment. "The police have my aunts, right? That's what was on the TV before?"

Carlisle nods. "Yes, they do."

"Do you know if they found anything in the closet?" he asks.

"I'm not sure," he replies. "I can ask. Is there something specific you're talking about?"

Jasper nods. "There was a picture, and a little bear. I couldn't take them with me when I ran away, so I hid them behind the little vent."

"Okay. I'll call and ask Chief Swan if they found anything."

He runs upstairs, leaving Jasper with me. I sit down beside him, wrapping an arm around him. "How are you feeling today?" I ask him. "I know it was hard for you when you saw them on TV."

He shrugs. "I'm okay, I guess. When I saw them, I remembered a lot of things that I tried not to think about. Do you really think that's why I had nightmares?"

I nod. "Sometimes, when we have things that make us upset, we try to push them away so they don't hurt us. But when we fall asleep, they slip out in our dreams. I know it wasn't easy, but this morning when you remembered those things that made you upset, you let out the emotions that were attached to them. I think that's why you didn't have any nightmares."

He nods thoughtfully. "I don't like to let out the emotions a lot."

"I know, sweetheart," I assure him. "Nobody likes to feel bad things, especially when something is as painful as what you went through. But you're a very strong little boy. It's not fun to do, but once you face those emotions that you've been trying to keep away, they'll get better. Wasn't it nice being able to sleep without nightmares?"

He considers it. "Yes. Do you think if I let them out more often, I won't have anymore nightmares?"

"Well, I can't say that you won't ever have nightmares. But I think the more you talk about things and deal with those feelings, the less you'll have them. It doesn't always have to come up as suddenly and painfully as it did this morning. You can talk to us whenever you want, about whatever you want. You can get through them one experience at a time, and that way it won't be as painful or overwhelming as it was this morning."

Jasper thinks about this for a moment, then nods. "Okay." He hugs me tightly. "Thank you."

"For what, sweetheart?" I ask.

He shrugs. "For being honest, and for caring about me." I smile as Carlisle returns, and Jasper looks at him. "Did they find them?"

"Yes, they did. Chief Swan said he'd be happy to bring them over when he comes to see us."

Jasper smiles. "Thank you." He hugs Carlisle quickly before running back to the living room. 

* * *

**Woo! Please remember to review if you want to see more, you guys are awesome!**

**Love,**

**TheSongSmith**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey everyone! Thanks for being awesome readers and reviewers, you make me want to write as much as possible. For you dedication, I give you this very long chapter with all the warm fuzzies you could want!**

* * *

I stand in the doorway of Jasper's room, watching him sleep peacefully. "It's been quite a day, hasn't it?" a voice behind me murmurs.

I smile, turning and reaching for Carlisle's hand. "Yes, it has. But it turned into a pretty good one. Did Chief Swan have anything else to say?"

"He might be coming sooner than we'd thought," he says. "The roads might be cleared next week."

I frown. "Oh Carlisle, not before Christmas! He'll be crushed!"

Carlisle draws me closer. "Don't worry, love. I spoke to him about that. Even if he comes before then, he's promised me that the boy will spend Christmas with us. I think telling him about Jasper memory of the Christmas party convinced him. But you know, it might be helpful if the roads are cleared early. There's something I want to do for him for Christmas."

I smile. "And what might that be?"

He shrugs. "Well, I know we have some extra presents already, but I'd like to get him some other things. But the really important thing is that I'd like to do what we did when we adopted all the other children. I know we usually wait until the official papers go through, but with the investigation, that might take a long time, and we've already made up our minds. I want him to feel like a part of the family. What better time than Christmas?"

I lean up, kissing him softly. "That's a wonderful idea. I think he's going to love it. He might cry again."

Carlisle chuckles. "As long as they're happy tears. I think I'm going to go see if I can call in a favor and get the order rushed." He notices the paper in my hand. "What's that?"

"Just some ideas. I've been thinking about redecorating the other guest room. He should have a space that's his."

He nods. "Why not this one?"

I shrug. "The other one has a better view of the forest, and it's closer to Edward's. I think he'd like that. Maybe if the snow clears I can get it done before Christmas. That would be a good present."

"I'm sure he'd love it," Carlisle smiles, hugging me lightly. "Let's go to bed. We've got a lot of work ahead of us." I nod, lightly kissing Jasper's cheek as Carlisle tucks the blankets around him before heading off to sleep. 

* * *

When I wake up in the morning, a cold seems to have settled in my chest, and Carlisle tells me to rest while he takes care of the children. After a little while, I hear a small shuffle. I open my eyes to find a small face peeking up at me from the side of the bed. "Good morning Jasper," I chuckle. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm okay," he says. "Are you okay? Carlisle said you were sick."

I smile, shifting over so that he can climb up beside me. "I'm fine, sweetheart. It's just a cold, that's all. I'll be good as new in no time."

He nods, relieved. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

"Well, I am a little bored here. Maybe you could come read to me for a while."

He smiles, pleased to be able to help, and disappears downstairs for a moment before returning and curling up beside me. Though slow, his reading has made leaps and bounds from where he started, and I think he may be able to start school next year. When he's finished, he looks up. "How's that?" he asks.

I chuckle, kissing his cheek. "That was wonderful. Thank you, sweetheart. I'm feeling better already." 

* * *

The rest of the days until Christmas move quickly as Carlisle and I prepare to give Jasper the best first Christmas anyone's ever had. On the morning of Christmas Eve, Carlisle goes into town to pick up the last of what we need. When he sees him at the door, Jasper grows concerned. "Where are you going?" he asks anxiously.

Carlisle crouches down to his level. "Just into town to pick up some things for Christmas. I'll be back soon."

"Promise?" Jasper asks.

Carlisle smiles. "I promise. Want me to pick up more marshmallows while I'm there?"

The boy brightens at this and nods, hugging him quickly before he leaves. When he returns, he takes the children outside to play while I put the finishing touches on Jasper's room and finish wrapping presents. At dinner time they come back in, red-cheeked and breathless. The phone rings, and Edward picks it up. "Hey mom," he asks, "Can I go to the movies with Bella on Friday?"

"If the roads are okay, I don't see why not. We could all use a trip into town." I think for a moment, then look at Jasper. "Have you ever been into town, Jasper?"

The boy shrugs. "We drove through it when we moved here. I never really went though."

I smile, hanging up his coat for him. "Well we'll have to find something fun to do then. Go wash up for dinner." The children chat happily through dinner before huddling in the living room under the glow of the Christmas tree, watching Carlisle build up a fire in the fireplace. I come in with hot chocolate and cookies, settling on the couch beside Carlisle and watching the kids play.

"Well," Carlisle announces, "I think it's time for our Christmas Eve tradition. Whose turn is it this year? Emmett?"

Emmett nods, retrieving the small book from the shelf, but then hesitates. "Actually, if it's okay with everyone, I think it should be Jasper's turn this year."

Jasper looks up from the floor, surprised. "What is it?"

"It's a poem," Emmett explains, "About Christmas. We read it every year on Christmas Eve."

Jasper smiles shyly. "Oh…I don't know if I can…"

Edward smiles, pulling the younger boy into his lap. "Don't worry. We'll help you if you get stuck. Give it a shot."

Jasper nods, opening the book carefully and studying the page for a moment before beginning to read. "'Twas the night before Christmas, when all…through the house, not a…"

"Creature," Edward supplies gently.

He nods. "Not a creature was….stirring, not even a mouse." All of the children listen intently to him as they munch on cookies and hot cocoa. Though he stumbles here and there, the boy seems to surprise even himself with how easily he manages the poem. Edward only has to cut in a handful of times for the more complex words. The closer he gets to the end, the more confident Jasper becomes. "But I heard him…exclaim," he finishes, "'ere he drove out of…sight,  
'Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!'"

He looks up, blushing slightly when all the children clap. "That was wonderful Jasper," Carlisle says. "Thank you." His phone starts to ring, and he gets up from the couch to answer it while the children go back to playing. He hangs up and beckons me into the kitchen. "Chief Swan is coming tonight," he whispers.

I sigh, looking back at Jasper, who's happily involved in some game. "When?"

"He's on his way right now. Jasper's going to freak out."

"Not necessarily. It's a little sudden, but we can help him through this. You said Chief Swan wouldn't take him anywhere until after Christmas, right? That should help. But we have to tell him before he gets here, or he'll be blindsided."

He nods in agreement. "Alright then, let's not wait."

We return to the living room, sitting down on the couch. "Jasper," I ask, "can we speak to you for a moment?"

The boy nods. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I assure him. "We just wanted to tell you that Chief Swan is on his way here."

Jasper's face drops, and I can see him quickly shutting down. "Jasper, buddy, look at me," Carlisle says quickly. The boy's eyes snap to his face. "It's okay. I know you're scared, but don't panic. He's not going to take you away, I promise. We're all here, and we're not going to let anything happen to you. Do you understand?" The boy swallows, nodding. "Good. Don't worry. Everything will be okay. We just wanted you to know."

Jasper takes a deep breath, climbing up on the couch between us and pressing close to Carlisle's side. Carlisle puts an arm around him, hugging him closer. "Don't worry buddy, we're here." There's a soft knock at the door, and Jasper runs to Edward, who picks him up while Carlisle and I opens the door. "Good evening Chief Swan."

"Please, call me Charlie. Sorry to drop in on you folks like this."

I smile, shaking his hand. "No problem at all. It's nice to see you. Come on in." He steps in out of the cold. "How is Bella?"

He smiles. "She's well. Happy the roads are finally cleared. I think she's missed seeing Edward. Now, where's our boy?"

"He's in the living room with the other children," Carlisle explains. "He's a little nervous. Right this way."

He leads the Chief into the living room, where Edward sits, holding a trembling Jasper who's doing his best to hide. "Nice to see you everyone. Edward, how are you?"

Edward smiles. "Good, Mr. Swan. And you?"

Charlie sits down beside him. "Can't complain. I have something for you." He pulls a small box out of his bag. "Bella asked me to give it to you for Christmas."

Edward blushes slightly, smiling. "Thank you. I have one for her too, as long as you're here." He starts to reach for it, but Jasper isn't willing to budge. "Um…Rose, will you get that please?"

Rosalie nods, handing Charlie the box and gently stroking Jasper's hair before sitting down again. "Thank you," Charlie says. "I'm sure she'll be thrilled. And I guess this little guy attached to you is Jasper?"

Edward nods. "You would be right. Jasper, can you say hello to Chief Swan?"

Cautiously, Jasper peeks out from Edward's shoulder. "Hello Chief Swan," he whispers.

The older man smiles. "Hi Jasper. It's nice to meet you. I almost didn't see you there. You can call me Charlie if you'd like." He waits, but Jasper doesn't respond. "I'm not here to hurt you, Jasper," he says gently. "I want to help. I just want to talk. Is it okay if we talk for a little while?"

Jasper watches him, thinking about it. "Can my family stay?" he asks hesitantly.

"Well, actually…" Charlie starts, then pauses, looking at the boy. "The rules say no, but…what the hell. We haven't been playing by the rules for a long time anyway. Yes, if you want them to, they can stay while we talk."

Jasper nods, relaxing just the slightest bit as Alice tugs lightly at Charlie's sleeve. "You said a bad word," she informs him.

He chuckles softly. "So I did. My apologies."

She grins. "You have to put a quarter in the swear jar."

"Oh really?"

She nods. "That's the rule."

Charlie laughs. "You're a cute little thing. I bet you get a lot of quarters, huh?" Alice giggles as he digs in his pocket for a moment. "There you go, Alice." Jasper has shifted around a little to watch this exchange. Charlie smiles at him. "Ah, there you are. So Jasper, how are you feeling?"

The boy shrugs. "I'm okay. I stopped having nightmares."

"Well that's great," Charlie says. "I heard you've been working very hard at learning to read too." The boy nods, holding up the book he read. "'Twas the night before Christmas". That's a great one. You read that?" He nods. "Well I am very impressed. Jasper, do you know what's been happening with your aunts?"

He nods again. "I saw them on the news. You arrested them, right?"

"Yes, we did," Charlie says. Now that we've done that, we're going to go to a court and tell the judge the bad things they did to you, so that they can't hurt you ever again. It's going to take some time, but we don't want them to ever hurt anyone again."

"Are they going to go to jail?" Jasper asks.

Charlie hesitates. "Well…Yes. We're trying to get them put in jail for a long time."

He nods. "Good," he murmurs. "Then they'll know what it's like to be locked up."

Charlie nods. "We're going to try our best. But you know, if we want them to go away for a long time, we could really use your help. Do you think that would be okay?"

Jasper considers it. "What would I have to do?"

"Well, we'd really like it if you came to court with us and told the judge exactly what they did to you. I know it's not easy to talk about, but if you can do that I don't think they'll ever get out of jail."

The boy hesitates, thinking about it. "Do I have to do it alone?" he asks.

"Of course not. Carlisle and Esme will be there with you, and we'll help you practice so you know exactly what's going to happen that day. We want you to be as comfortable as possible. Do you think that might be okay?"

"If it means they'll go away, then I'll try."

Charlie smiles. "You're a brave little boy, Jasper. Thank you for helping us. Let's talk about happier things, then. Do you like it here?"

Jasper relaxes a little more, nodding. "Yes. I love it here. They're nice to me, and they help me with things, and they taught me to read and write and play checkers. They don't get mad at me and put me in a closet. They saved me."

"Well I'm glad to hear that. You seem to be doing very well. I'm going to talk to Carlisle and Esme for a few minutes, and then I'll be back, okay?" Jasper cuddles up to Edward again as we head upstairs to Carlisle's office. "Well, that went better than I expected. He looks good," Charlie says.

Carlisle nods. "He's made amazing progress," he remarks. "He's connecting with people much easier than we ever dreamed of, and he's opening up to us more every day."

"He's learning fast. He must be very bright."

I smile. "He is. He works very hard. Edward has been helping him with reading and writing, and Rosalie has taken up math and science. Emmett and Alice love science days, because they like doing experiments."

Charlie chuckles. "I bet. Your children seem very close with him."

"They are," Carlisle says. "They love him. Especially Edward. I think he enjoys being someone's protector, and Jasper's never had anyone protect him before."

"It must be a lot of work, taking care of him," Charlie remarks.

I nod. "It is. But it's completely worth it. He's such a sweetheart."

The Chief hesitates. "Are you sure you want to keep the boy? You don't have to."

Carlisle looks at me for a moment, then nods. "We're absolutely sure," he says. "Jasper is part of our family now. He has some issues, but we love him, and we're willing to help him."

"Well I'm sure he appreciates that. It's not often that abused children are able to connect with people without years of therapy. The fact that he's been able to do so with your family is remarkable. He's doing very well here, and I think he's better cared for with you than he would be with anyone else. I'm not going to disturb that."

I smile, hugging Carlisle. "Thank you so much, Charlie. We'll take good care of him."

We go back downstairs, where the children wait in a protective circle around Jasper. "Well Jasper," Charlie smiles, "You've got a really great family here. They love you very much."

The boy looks up hesitantly. "Does that mean I can stay?" he asks.

Charlie chuckles. "Yes. You can stay. I think this is the best place for you."

Instantly, the boy brightens. "Thank you!"

"Any time. Oh, I almost forgot." He digs into his bag again, pulling out a teddy bear and an envelope. "That's what we found in the closet. Merry Christmas, Jasper."

Jasper hugs the bear tightly to him. "Merry Christmas, Charlie. Thank you."

We walk the chief out before returning to the living room, where the kids are sitting together on the floor. Jasper clings tightly to his bear, slowly peeking inside the envelope. "What's in there, Jazz?" Alice asks.

"It's a picture of my parents." He takes it out carefully, showing it to her.

In the picture, a smiling couple holds a grinning baby, no more than two years old. "You all look happy," I murmur, kissing his temple softly.

He nods. "I think so too." He sighs, putting the picture in his pocket before looking up at me. "I have you now though, right?"

I pick him up, holding him against one hip. "Yes baby, you do. You have all of us." I grin, tickling him lightly. "And you can't get rid of us! You're all ours!"

He laughs, hugging me tightly. "Forever."

"Forever."

Jasper smiles, looking over at Edward. "Who's Bella?" he asks.

Edward blushes. "She's, um…my friend." Emmett snorts, and Edward glares at him.

"She's his girlfriend!" Alice pipes up.

Edward turns brighter red. "She is not!"

Alice grins. "Maybe not yet." She skips off to the kitchen.

Carlisle chuckles behind me. "What do you think goes on in her head?" he asks.

"I couldn't even begin to tell you," I laugh.

"Do I get to meet her?" Jasper asks.

Edward smiles. "Sure. Maybe Friday."

The boy nods, looking at Carlisle for a moment. "What's that?" he asks, pointing to the ring on his hand.

"It's our family's crest. It's a symbol people used to use to say they belonged to a certain family."

"It's very pretty," Jasper says.

Carlisle smiles. "Thank you. Now, it is way past somebody's bedtime! If you don't go to sleep, Santa will skip right over our house and he won't leave you presents! Come on buddy, let's get you ready for bed."

"You too, Alice," I call. "No more cookies."

She comes back with her hands full of cookies. "Aww mom! Just one more?"

I chuckle. "Okay, one more if you share with Jasper." She grins, handing him a cookie and munching happily on hers as we get them ready for bed. "Are you excited for Christmas, Jasper?" I ask him.

He nods. "I think so."

"I'm excited!" Alice says. "It's going to be so much fun!"

Carlisle laughs. "We know you're excited, sweetheart. I think Jasper is going to have the best first Christmas ever." Jasper smiles, walking down to his room while we tuck Alice in. When we come in, he's propping up his picture on the nightstand. "You've been very brave," Carlisle murmurs.

The boy jumps at his voice. "I have?"

I smile, sitting down beside him. "You have. You must miss them terribly."

"I do," he admits. "But…I think they'd be happy I'm here. I think they'd like you. They'd want people like you to take care of me."

I hug him tightly. "And that is exactly what we're going to do. We're going to take good care of you."

He smiles. "I know. Thank you."

I kiss his cheek, brushing his hair back lightly. "Get some rest, okay? Tomorrow is going to be an exciting day."

"Okay," he murmurs sleepily as Carlisle hugs him. "Love you."

Carlisle smiles, tucking him in. "We love you too, Jasper." 

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**Yay! Please remember to review or drop me a line if you like it, it makes me want to happy dance when I get those little notifications! More coming soon!**

**Love,**

**TheSongSmith**


	7. Chapter 7

**Happy December everyone! To help you get into the spirit, Christmas is coming a little bit early this year, at least for our favorite family. Enjoy!**

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When I wake up again, it's to someone small jumping into bed. "Mommy! Mommy!" Alice squeals, "It's Christmas!"

I chuckle, hugging her tightly. "Yes it is. Are you the first one up?"

"Aren't I always?" she giggles.

I smile. "Yes, you are. Merry Christmas, love. Do you want to help me wake everyone up so we can go see what Santa brought?"

She nods excitedly, running off to wake the older children while I go to Jasper's room, finding him still curled peacefully beneath his blankets. I sit beside him, lightly brushing his hair back as he stirs. "Good morning, sweetheart," I murmur. "Merry Christmas."

He looks at me, confused for a moment, before smiling. "Merry Christmas!"

I chuckle. "Are you ready to go downstairs and see what exciting things might be down there?"

The boy brightens. "Can we?"

"Of course we can. Let's go see if Alice has succeeded in waking up everyone else yet." I carry him out into the hall, where we're met by the other children. "Is everyone ready?" I ask.

"Can I go first?" Alice asks.

I laugh. "Yes baby, lead the way."

When he sees the piles of presents, Jasper's face lights up. "Do you think any of them are for me?" he asks.

"I'm sure some of them are. Santa doesn't leave anyone out. In fact, I think this pile right here is yours. They've got your name on them."

With all of the children happily ripping into their presents, I sit on the couch beside Carlisle, who kisses my cheek and hands me a cup of coffee while we watch them. When the floor is completely covered in wrapping paper scraps, Carlisle beckons to Jasper. "So how do you like Christmas so far?" he asks.

The boy grins. "I think Christmas is my favorite day of the year!"

Carlisle laughs. "Well, we have two more extra special presents for you. Do you want to see?" Jasper nods. "Well the first one wouldn't fit under the tree, so why don't we all go upstairs and see what it is?"

The children parade upstairs to the closed door of the spare bedroom. "It's right through there," I tell him. Cautiously, he opens the door, gasping at what he sees. We've been hard at work turning it into a proper little boy's room, complete with a little bookshelf to support Jasper's passion for reading. He steps inside slowly, looking around. "We thought you might like a space of your own," I explain.

He turns around, wide-eyed. "It's mine?" he asks.

I smile. "Yes sweetheart. You're a part of the family now, so we thought it would be good for you to have a room that's yours, not just the guest room. Do you like it?"

He nods, hugging me tightly. "Thank you! I love it!"

"You're very welcome, sweetheart. You still have one last present."

I look to Carlisle, who holds out a small box. Jasper takes it, opening it carefully to reveal a leather cuff with the family crest on it. He slowly picks it up, his fingers running over the emblem lightly. "It looks just like the ones Edward and Emmett have."

"It is just like theirs, only a little smaller. Every member of the family wears the crest somewhere, and since you're a member of the family now, we wanted you to have one too," Carlisle explains. "There is one little difference in yours that theirs don't have." He reaches over, lightly flipping a small latch so that the crest opens, revealing the same image as the one propped up by the boy's bed. "You're part of our family now," he murmurs, "But that doesn't mean you have to give them up. They loved you very much, and we know how important they are to you. They're important to us too. Without them, we'd never have you. We just wanted you to know that you can still be theirs and ours at the same time. We never want to take that away from you." Jasper looks between him and the picture for a moment before bursting into tears. Carlisle picks him up, hugging him tightly. "Happy tears?" he asks. The boy nods. "Okay then," he chuckles. "We can live with that." He holds the boy close until his tears subside. "Do you like it?"

Jasper laughs. "It's beautiful. Thank you. Will you help me put it on?"

Carlisle smiles, sitting down on the bed with Jasper in his lap. "Of course I will." He takes the cuff out of the box, carefully fastening it around the boy's wrist. Jasper opens and closes the latch a few times.

"How'd you get them in there?" he asks.

Carlisle chuckles. "Well, Charlie sent me a picture of your photograph when he found it, and I sent it to the jeweler to see what he could do. I think it came out pretty well. What do you think?"

"I think it's perfect," the boy murmurs. He looks up. "They're really important to you?"

Carlisle nods. "They are. Without them, we'd never have known you. Our family would never have been complete."

"But you'd still have Edward and Rosalie and Emmett and Alice," the boy points out.

I smile, sitting beside them. "That's true. And we love them very much. But you're the one who completes us. It just wouldn't feel the same without you. And for that, we have them to thank." The boy thinks for a moment, then slips off of Carlisle's lap and disappears down the hall. He returns with his teddy bear and the photo of his parents, which he sets on the nightstand. "Maybe when we go into town on Friday we'll get you a picture frame," I say.

He smiles. "Can we get two?"

"I'm sure we can. What's the other one for?"

He shrugs. "I want a picture of us too."

"Well I think that's a great idea. Why don't we take one now? Your first Christmas." The children, still in their pajamas, crowd around us as Carlisle gets his camera from the office. He sets the timer before jumping into the picture. After the flash goes off, I smile, looking at the picture. "What do you think?" I ask Jasper.

He grins. "I think it's perfect."

I nod. "Me too. Now, who wants to go play with their new Christmas presents?"

The children cheer, charging downstairs and leaving Carlisle and I sitting on the bed together. Jasper starts after them, but then hesitates and turns back, hugging us both. "Thank you," he murmurs before hurrying after the others.

"So, how do you think we did?" Carlisle asks.

I chuckle. "I think he's having the best first Christmas in the world. He couldn't be happier." I kiss him softly. "You're a good dad, you know that?"

He smiles. "I do my best. Let's get down there before they destroy the house." After an exhausting day of playing, we all settle in for Christmas dinner. I watch the children interact, sighing happily. "Something on your mind, dear?" Carlisle asks.

I smile. "Just thinking about all the things I'm thankful for."

"Oh? Well, would you like to tell us some of them?"

I nod. "Well, I'm very thankful that I have such a wonderful, loving family, and that I got to share another Christmas with them. What about you?"

He thinks for a moment. "I'm thankful that we get to spend this time together as a family."

"Ooh! Ooh!" Alice cries, raising her hand. "Can I go next?"

I chuckle. "Sure, baby. What are you thankful for?"

"I'm thankful for Mommy and Daddy, and my dolls, and cupcakes, and our new puppy!"

Rosalie looks at her. "Who said we're getting a puppy?"

Alice shrugs. "I told Santa about it in my letter."

Carlisle chuckles softly. "Well we'll have to think about that. Rose, do you want to go next?"

She nods, thinking. "I'm thankful that I have a family that loves me, even if I'm sometimes not easy to get along with." Emmett snorts, and Rosalie smacks him lightly. "What are you thankful for, then?"

"I'm thankful for our family," he says seriously before grinning. "And also that I'm not the youngest brother anymore."

"I'm thankful for our family too," Edward says quietly. "And I'm also thankful for our new little brother."

Carlisle smiles. "Those are some excellent things to be thankful for. Jasper, what about you? What are you thankful for?"

The boy hesitates. "What's thankful mean?"

"It means that you're glad that something happened in your life, and you appreciate it because not everybody gets it," I explain.

He thinks for a moment before nodding. "Then I'm thankful that it was your porch I passed out on."

I nod. "I think we're all thankful for that." After dinner, Carlisle and I settle on the couch, watching the children play on the floor. After a while, Jasper grows tired and sits beside me. I gently coax him into my lap, holding him close as he starts to fall asleep against my shoulder. "It's been a long day, hasn't it sweetheart?" I murmur. He nods sleepily. "Ready for bed?" He nods again, so I carry him upstairs to his new room. "It's your first night in your own room. Are you excited?" I ask as I sit down on the edge of the bed with him.

He thinks about it for a moment. "Esme?" he asks, blushing lightly.

"Yes baby?"

"Would you mind….staying? Just until I fall asleep? I like the room, but it's…new. It feels better if you're here."

I smile, kissing his cheek softly. "Of course, sweetheart. I'll be right here. Let's get you undressed."

I reach to unfasten his new cuff, but he pulls it away. "Is it okay if I just wear it?" he asks.

I chuckle. "That's perfectly alright," I assure him. "Get some rest, okay? I'll stay here."

He snuggles up close, sighing softly as I tuck the blankets around him. "Esme?" he murmurs sleepily, "What was your favorite present?"

Before I can even answer, soft snores drift up from the sleeping boy. I smile, kissing his cheek softly. "You. You are my favorite present this year."

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**Awww! Yay for happy times. Please, please remember to review or drop me a line and let me know what you think! I love hearing from you!**

**Love,**

**TheSongSmith**


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